“Dreams… will I ever realise them? Can I even have them anymore?
Everything that I knew of my future has been shattered like a broken window. I have to sacrifice the future with Helenia that I always dreamed of to save our world.
How am I ever going to tell her?”
Helenia took in a deep breath and refocused on her fighting stance, steadying herself and placing her legs far apart. Sweat dripped from her chin. Wearing armour for the first time made sword fighting difficult for her, and she quickly tired with its weight.
“Now Helenia, listen to me. I want you to hit me like we practiced earlier. Remember your training, and most of all, do nothing else but focus. Clear your mind,” said Faowind, holding his sword in a defensive posture.
Come on, Helenia, you can do this, she thought as she tightened her grip on her sword. With a deep grunt, she swung her sword with all of her strength. It struck Faowind’s in a fiery clash of metal.
“That’s very good, Helenia. Now follow up with combination attacks. Keep moving and hit me as hard as you can. You are doing very well,” said Faowind with an approving smile.
Andrielle stood on the outskirts of the training grounds, near Karven’s mighty form, watching her daughter train for hours with Faowind.
“You know,” said Karven, “she really does have great potential as a fighter. You must be very proud of her.”
“Of course I am proud of my daughter, but although I have allowed her this special request, I am only letting her to train for the direst of circumstances,” said Andrielle. “Can I ask you to watch over her when we are attacked? It is inevitable that war is upon us, but we need at least one royal to live through it.”
“Do you really need to ask? Of course I will watch over her, and protect her with the best of my abilities during battle. I will, of course, also be watching over you,” he replied.
“Your words warm my heart, dragon king. But I want you to know that I would gladly put my life before hers and will do so without hesitation. If my life is taken from me, can you please do me the favour of taking her away from all of this? I can’t bear the thought of us both dying out there,” whispered Andrielle.
“Great Elven Queen, I would do almost anything that you ask. But do you really want your army to be deserted if Helenia were to become queen on the battlefield?” asked Karven.
“No. I suppose you are right, Karven,” sighed Andrielle. “Let us hope that it does not come to that decision.”
Helenia swung her sword above her head, then let it come crashing down on Faowind’s weapon with an impressive display of sparks. She narrowed her eyes and growled, 'This is useless practice! How will this prepare me for the realism of war? My enemies won't be so careful not to hit me. Show me something real!'
'As you wish, princess,' Faowind replied firmly. He swung around and, hit Helenia hard in the stomach with the butt of his sword. Twisting his body in the other direction, the back of his hand connected with her face and sent her to the ground like a fallen sack of potatoes. Helenia cried out with the sharp pains searing through her body.
She struggled to regain her breath, using her sword to lever herself back onto her feet. Helenia was visibly hurt, and even a blind man could see the anger blazing within her eyes like a wild furnace. She raised her sword in the air with determination and chanted a spell: “ Iuxta bolem involam. ”
Her sword hummed and ignited with fire from the hilt, the heat distorting Faowind’s view of her. Her armour emitted a slight white glow. Helenia sprinted at him as if she had complete freedom of movement, cutting her sword through the air with inhuman speed. Faowind barely had time to think or react, only just placing his sword in her path to defend himself in time. Flames burst from the impact of their weapons and lit small fires on the ground near their feet.
“Helenia! What are you doing?” yelled Andrielle, running towards her daughter.
The queen noticed a crowd gathered to watch the battle, cheering from the excitement.
Faowind knew he had to do something to stop Helenia's fury and quickly ducked out of her path. He closed his eyes to cast a spell of his own.
“ Ex caelo phasmam fluminis evoco.”
A distant scream erupted from the sky and the entire city turned its gaze to the canopy and waited, whispering to each other in fear. A water spirit burst from the clouds, her liquid face scanning the ground for the enchanted sword. It instantly located the magic emanating from the enchanted sword and with a gurgling hiss, it reeled back and lurched forward at full speed towards Helenia’s position.
The crowd began cheering with excitement and encouragement at the fierce fighting before them. Faowind used all of his strength to deflect Helenia’s attacks and keep her at bay. Helenia leapt into the air, swinging her sword in a circular motion and narrowly missing Faowind’s head as he ducked out of the way of the flames above him.
'Helenia, stop!' yelled Andrielle.
The water spirit fell hard from the tree canopy and crashed into Helenia’s body, sending the princess plummeting to the ground yet again. A large gush of water spread over the grass and put out the small fires that had begun to build. Helenia coughed up water from her lungs and dropped her drenched sword to the ground beside her, her hand cramped from battle. She eased herself up to a crouched position, shaking her head in pain and confusion.
“My goodness, Helenia! I had no idea you had the ability to use magic, let alone fight with such ferocity. If your powers are that strong, we certainly could use you in the battle ahead,” said Faowind, struggling to regain his breath.
“Neither did I, Faowind,” said Andrielle, nearing them with Karven beside her.
“The spectacle’s over,” said Karven. “Everyone get moving, now! This is not the time for standing around and watching. We could be attacked at any moment and these are the opportunities Kassina is waiting for.”
The crowd began to disperse through the city at the order from the King of Dragons. Andrielle helped her daughter back to her feet, dusting off the dirt from her shoulders. The princess stood gracefully for a few moments before falling back into the mud in sheer exhaustion. Faowind quickly picked her up off the ground and gently slung her over his shoulder.
Andrielle's face dropped as she spoke through a sigh, “Oh, Helenia. I have been far too protective of you. If my protection has forced you to keep your powers a secret even from me, then it is about time I took a step back. Faowind, take her to her room and find an elven healer to return her strength as quickly as possible.'
“Of course, my Queen,” said Faowind with a smile. He turned and marched towards Helenia’s room, with the princess dangling weakly in his arms like a stuffed ragdoll, as Karven turned his attention to Andrielle.
“To cast two spells of such magnitude takes one who is not only born with great powers, but who is exceptionally powerful. And to have cast them without any formal training is phenomenal. Dare I say it, I doubt that she needs protecting from anyone,” said Karven.
Andrielle stared at the ground and could not look the dragon in the eye. “I know; you are right. I realise this now. But I am always battling my motherly instinct, and the wisdom that I have learned over the many years as queen.'
“I now completely understand the attraction between the princess and Vartan. They are drawn together by forces that are beyond their control. It is a shame indeed,” said Karven.
The ground suddenly trembled beneath their feet, sending a shower of leaves raining down into the city from the canopy of the trees. The whispering of the inhabitants slowly erupted into a mixture of panic and excitement.
“ Longinque animadvertam, ” chanted Andrielle.
Her vision flew through Veldrenn in the direction of Greenhaven. She continued her farsight through the countless trees, past the elven guards who had swords drawn at the ready in their fighting positions. Andrielle panicked and sped further, towards the flashes of fire leading to the outskirts of the Elven Woods. Battling fairies zipped in and out from the forest’s edge, resting momentarily behind trees for cover before engaging the forces of darkness. The chaos that was suddenly before her hit her like a wall in her face.
